Somebody to Love
by meggieluvsmpregdraco
Summary: Hermione wants something more out of life... a strong, loving caress would be nice. But who at Hogwarts could give her what she needs? Little did she know her true love was before her eyes the whole time! HermionexRon, HermionexCedric, Hermionex? :.
1. Kindling Flames

Hermione sat on the velvety overstuffed chair in the Gryffindor common room. The needles clicked rhythmically in front of her as a beautiful green scarf emerged magically from between them. She had been knitting ceaselessly during the term; when she wasn't in class or studying in the library, she was knitting. Hats with baubles, scarves with luxurious fringe, gloves with intricate patterns-they fell like gold spun from straw from the tips of the needles. After three hours of knitting, she looked up from her handiwork. The room was empty and night had fallen heavily on the grounds of Hogwarts. She placed the needles on the table in front of her and admired the emerald scarf she had produced. This ought to free a house-elf, she thought. It was a bit extravagant, but they deserved luxury just as the wizards did! She stood up with indignation at the thought of the house-elves toiling unnecessarily and underrated in the hot, humid kitchens. 

Hermione tossed her mane of beautiful auburn hair out of her eyes. She had changed over the summer. Just as her mind developed exponentially, so did her girlish form. She was a woman now, tall, elegant, and lithe. She pursed her lips, as she always did. It was a habit, perhaps formed by the effect it had on men. She didn't care about them, though. All of the boys at Hogwarts were too immature, too silly for her. She longed for someone who was wise, passionate, and intense. It was a dream, though.

She stood slowly, and left the scarf draped lovingly on the table. She kissed it's fringe with a good luck blessing, and hoped that it would free a house elf. She walked up the long, narrow stairway to the girls dormitory, clutching her arms against the chill of the cold stone walls. As she climbed into bed, she thought hopefully of love. She sank into a deep, beautiful dream, in which a dark stranger carried her into a realm of bliss.

"Hermione, you look awfully happy this morning" observed Harry at the breakfast table the next morning. "Been having more of those dreams that I keep hearing about from Parvati?" Harry and Ron snickered into their porridge.

Hermione flushed. "Oh, quiet. You silly boys don't know what you are talking about. I happen to be cheerful because the scarf I knit last night was gone this morning."

"Hermione, you really have to give that up. The house-elves don't want that rubbish. They're happy making us sausage and kippers in the kitchens. I mean, they have no reason to complain, so why should we?" Ron said as he sipped happily from his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"How can you say that Ron!" Hermione glared at him. "They don't know any better! I ought to start some sort of campaign for the promotion of elvish welfare. They need to know that they have wizarding friends up here to help them!"

"Hermione, Ronsh right. Zhey don wan yer hep. Eyre 'appy." Harry said through a particularly large bite of poached eggs.

"I don't believe this!" Hermione shouted and ran from the table. She made her way to the dormitory, tears streaming down her face all the while. She longed to make a difference, but without support, how could she?

Suddenly, there was a rustling sound behind her. She shrieked as a huge pile of clothing made its way toward her. Hats, scarves, gloves and baubles hung precariously. Yet there was something familiar about the blob of clothing...

"DOBBY!" shouted Hermione. "What are you doing under there? Are those... They are! All of my handiwork! What are you doing with it all?

"Dobby was not liking to see the other house elves make fun of the beautiful attire. They was not liking the fringe and the baubles. Dobby could not stand to let them get ripped and burnt. Dobby knew Mistress Hermione was putting much work into them. Dobby loves them. They is beautiful, and make Dobby feel like a young, happy elf again."

"Oh Dobby! I am so happy you liked them! I worked so hard on them all, I wanted to help free the house elves. I see how happy you are being free, and I want to help them all! But I am so grateful that you saved all of my knitting! OH DOBBY!" In a blur of tears and joy, Hermione threw her arms around the elf's neck. She sobbed on his strong, muscular shoulder. Dobby wrapped his arms around her curvy waste, pulling her closer to his body. Hermione felt a twinge of what she had felt last night, as she imagined what her true love would be like. She also felt a guilty spasm of what she had felt in her ecstatic dream ... that dream of ecstasy, in which she felt pleasure like she had never felt before, the one that Harry said that all the girls were giggling about.

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**PLEASE REVIEW! Should I continue this story? Let me know what you think! Thanx!**


	2. Steam behind the tapestry

Suddenly, Hermione came to her senses, and realized how improper it was to be in the girls dormitory, alone, with a male. She reluctantly pushed herself away from the warm, throbbing body of the house elf.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me… I think it best if you left, Dobby…"

A curious shadow came over Dobby's face, as he whispered "As you wish" and disapparated. Hermione was left alone, with a feeling of longing and dissatisfaction. Why did her insides writhe like worms when she thought of Dobby? Why did she feel such powerful lust and rapacious desire? She picked herself off of the cold stone floor, and smoothed her pleated skirt. It had slipped up her thigh a little when she was with Dobby… she wished that he had slipped it up a little more…

She sat down on her four poster bed and thought what his hands would feel like on her body—she checked herself quickly. "Hermione, stop that! You know that would never work… he would never think those things about you. You are dreaming the impossible dream", she thought to herself. She examined her face in the mirror, and fixed her luxurious hair into a knot at the back of her head. She took a deep breath, and made her way to the common room.

The room was too cheerful during the day, she decided. There were students in every chair, at every table, in every spare spot. Whispering, laughing, boisterous discussions… they seemed so unnatural to her right then! The chandelier that hung overhead glinted happily, it's thousands of facets shining like flecks of gold. Hermione thought she needed something a little more subdued. She walked to the portrait hole and stepped out gracefully. She kept her head down, for fear of encountering Ron or Harry on the way down the hallway.

However, she had only moved a few yards, before something grabbed her hard and pulled her behind a tapestry. She was pushed up against the wall and a pair of lips forced themselves upon her. "ERNIE!" She shouted.

Ernie Macmillan moved his face away from hers. He had also grown over the summer, and he was now cockier than ever. Hermione was attracted to his appreciation of her intelligence, and the term before, they had taken to finding secluded spots all over Hogwarts to engage in indecent activities. Hermione would usually have welcomed Ernie's violations with happy giggles, but now, she felt that she would have to put that amusement behind her. She removed his hands from her body, and said, "Ernie, I can't do this anymore. It was fun while it lasted, but really, don't you think this is silly? How can you just fool around like this with someone you don't even care about?"

Ernie looked confused as he backed away from her. He ran his hand through his hair and gave an awkward smirk. "What did I do? I always treated you well, didn't I? I thought that we were just experimenting? I even had a new spell I wanted to try on you!"

"It's nothing like that, Ernie. I'm just moving on to different things." Hermione held out her hand good naturedly. Ernie hesitated, "You're not, you know… well… you know… Eloise Midgen?"

Hermione laughed "OH NO! Certainly not! I mean, her acne has gotten much better over the summer, but I don't really swing that way." She smiled. "Thanks Ernie, it was fun." She winked over her shoulder as she walked away.

She had the disconcerting feeling that she ought to be feeling remorse, like she did when Dobby left. But instead, she felt nothing. It was as though Ernie had never existed to her in that way. She was surprised and unnerved. Why did Dobby keep creeping into her thoughts? She thought "Perhaps I'm in…. NO! Impossible! He's a HOUSE ELF!" There. She had thought it. She had thought what she had been forcing herself not to. She had always told herself that wizards ought to appreciate house elves, and treat them as equals. And now, she was behaving just like all the other wizards. She felt ashamed. "No. NO. That's not why. I…I…I'm just confused right now. To prove I'm not racist, I will start an initiative to help the House Elves. Yes, that's what I'll do. I'll start the Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare here at Hogwarts! That will take care of this problem. I've been thinking of Dobby because I feel sorry for the House Elves. That's all." But no matter how much she told herself this, her heart still refused to believe it.

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HEY GUYS! I have a reallllly good plot twist coming up soon... But I won't write any more unless you guys want me to! Please review! Give me lottttts of reviews! It's going to get STEAMY! But only if you guys give me feedback! 


	3. Ron's tempestuous confession

Hermione made her way out onto the Hogwarts grounds. There was a delicious breeze that lifted her hair from her shoulders and let it fall like a mass of gorgeous feathers around her face. She smiled in spite of herself and delighted in the caress of the wind on her lips. She trotted down to the lake, her dainty slippered feet revelling in the luxurious softness of the carefully manacured lawns. She settled herself for some solitude under the tall willow that whisked its branches over the glassy water. However, she was not left to herself for long.

She looked up towards the castle and saw a familiar form approaching. It was Ron. His glossy strawberry colored hair was tousled by the wind, and made him look as though he had been riding a wild stallion through a dark forest. His square shoulders and his impressive height made his figure stand out among the more common Hogwarts students. He was a handsome, with dimples that made the underclasswomen sigh with longing. And here he was, moving purposefully towards Hermione. She had had a feeling, for a while now, that there was something more to their friendship than she desired. Now, she felt almost certain that the moment had come for a confrontation. He arrived at her side and threw himself down nonchalantly. There was an expression in his eyes that assured Hermione that the terrible moment had finally arrived. He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up her hand to stop him—

"Ron! No! Please don't!"

"Hermione, I must. You must hear me. It's no use denying it any longer. This has got to come out, for both of us." Ron flushed and became excited, smiling with expectation at the woman he loved. "I've loved you since I first met you, Hermione. I always knew that you would be the woman I would end up with, that I would want by my side. I've tried to show you for so long, but you've denied me up til now. You've pushed me away with 'No Ron!'s, and I cannot take it any longer! I must let you know how much I need you, how much I long for your touch and your love!"

"Ron, I wanted to keep this from happening, and save you the trouble of having to do this. I wanted to save you the injury!—"

"I know, that's how all girls are! I knew that that was what you were trying to do, but I can't take it any longer. I want no more of these games. I want to show you how earnest I am, and how devoted I'll be! I know I'm not good enough, but I will try! Oh, how I will try!" Ron took her hand in his. She hastily removed hers and held it to her breast.

"Ron, you may think that you are not good enough, but truly, it is I who is not good enough for you. I am so fond of you, and so proud of all you've accomplished. You are a wonderful man, and a wonderful friend. I've tried to convince myself that I could find love in your arms, but try as I may, I can not change how I feel! It would be a lie to tell you otherwise, and it would end up betraying us both!"

Ron's shoulders dropped, and his head fell. Never was there such a picture of disappointment and woe. "Hermione, I won't be able to forget you. I must have you. I MUST! If I don't, I don't know what I'll do! I can't love anyone else. I never will! NEVER! Please tell me that there is a chance, I will work so hard!"

Hermione sighed uncontrollably, and Ron took it at a sign of her softening heart. However, her reply was "I feel the same. I never, never will be able to love you as you deserve. I am sorry Ron."

Ron heaved himself off of the ground, in a frightening way. What would he do in his desperation? "Hermione… is there someone else?"

Hermione flushed violently, and checked herself quickly. "No Ron, I don't believe I will ever love."

Ron looked relieved, but unconvinced. Hermione grabbed his dangling hand. "Please, Ron, let us shake hands and be friends."

Ron pulled his hand away and sneered. "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." He stalked away towards the forbidden forest, leaving Hermione with a sense of dread and guilt.

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Hey guys! I totally was inspired by Little Women. I hope you all like it! Please review! 


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